B.C. records 33 new COVID-19 cases, one death

B.C. has recorded 33 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, as well as one more death due to the novel coronavirus.

In an update on Friday (May 1), health officials confirmed that B.C. has seen a total of 2,145 cases since early March.

That includes 823 within the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 978 in the Fraser Health region, 121 in the Island Health region, 174 in the Interior Health region and 49 in the Northern Health region.

“We are saddened to report one new COVID-19 related death in the Fraser Health region, for a total of 112 deaths,” read a joint statement from Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

Of those who have tested positive for the disease, 1,357 have fully recovered, meaning there are 676 active confirmed cases.

Seventy-nine people remain in hospital, with 24 of those in intensive care.

Health officials said there are no new long-term care home outbreaks; 21 facilities and three acute-care units are dealing with ongoing outbreaks. Outbreaks at 12 facilities have been declared over.

Fifty-two employees have now tested positive at Superior Poultry in Coquitlam, as well as 35 at United Poultry in Vancouver. Both of those facilities remain closed with investigations ongoing.

On Friday, Fraser Health also closed down a poultry plant in the Fraser Valley where an employee has tested positive.

Dix and Henry noted that today marks National Physicians Day, as well as the start of National Medical Laboratory Week.

“It is an opportunity for all of us to recognize the dedication and contributions of our physicians, our medical laboratory professionals and all our other health-care workers – the people whose responsibility it is to care for all of us,” a joint statement read.

“Let’s honour and protect them by doing all we can to continue to flatten the curve. When we are outside this weekend, think of them and always keep a safe physical distance from those around you. Be 100% committed to keeping our firewall strong.”